PROCEEDINGS 


OF  THE 


BOARD  OF  TRADE 

v , V' 

OE  THE  CITY  OE  BOSTON, 


CANAL  FROM  THE  LAKES  TO  THE  MISSISSIPPI, 


AND  THE 


CAUGHNAWAGA  SHIP  CANAL 

K 

FROM  THE  ST.  LAWRENCE  TO  LAKE  CHAMPLAIN. 


May  20,  1 87  0. 


BOSTON: 

WRIGHT  & POTTER,  PRINTERS,  79  MILK  STREET, 
(Corner  of  Federal  Street). 

1 870. 


) 4 Tccy  lor  !,2*z> 


PROCEEDINGS. 


A meeting  of  the  Board  of  Trade  of  the  City  of  Boston 
was  held  at  their  rooms,  on  Friday,  May  20,  1870,  for  the 
purpose  of  considering  the  subject  of  the  construction  of  a 
ship  canal  to  secure  water  communication  between  the  Mis- 
sissippi and  the  Lakes,  and  also  a proposition  for  constructing 
a ship  canal  from  the  St.  Lawrence  to  Lake  Champlain. 

The  President  of  the  Board,  Hon.  Alexander  H.  Rice, 
occupied  the  chair,  and  introduced  Gov.  Fairchild,  of  Wis- 
consin. 

Gov.  Fairchild  remarked  that  he  should  not  have  presumed 
to  come  before  the  Board  had  he  not  felt  that  the  subject 
of  cheap  transportation  between  the  East  and  the  West  was 
as  much  the  business  of  the  people  of  the  East  as  of  the 
people  of  the  West.  The  plan  proposed  was  the  improve- 
ment of  the  Fox  and  Wisconsin  Rivers.  The  Wisconsin 
River  emptied  into  the  Mississippi  at  Prairie  du  Chien,  pass- 
ing near  Portage  City.  The  Fox  River  emptied  into  Lake 
Michigan  at  Green  Bay,  running  within  a mile  and  a half 
of  the  Wisconsin  River  at  Portage  City,  when  it  turned  in 
an  easterly  direction.  Thus  Providence  had  almost  completed 
this  water  route  between  the  Mississippi  and  the  Lakes,  a 
distance  of  278  miles.  The  Fox  River  was  now  navigable  to 
Portage  City,  and  a canal  connected  the  two  rivers,  a mile 
and  a half  long.  The  Fox  River,  some  years  ago,  was  put 
into  the  possession  of  a private  company,  and  was  now  navi- 


^ '“b  “5)  \ 


4 


Ship  Canals. 


gable  for  boats  drawing  from  five  to  eight  feet  of  water  more 
than  half  the  distance  to  the  city  of  Portage,  and  boats  draw- 
ing three  and  a half  feet  would  pass  the  remaining  distance 
at  low  water.  It  was  proposed  that  the  government  should 
take  this  company  out  of  the  way,  giving  it  a sum  which 
might  be  found  in  justice  due,  to  be  determined  by  a board  of 
arbitration.  The  Wisconsin  River  could  be  improved  by  a 
canal  from  Portage  City  to  Prairie  du  Chien,  118  miles,  TO 
feet  at  the  bottom  and  80  feet  at  the  top,  capable  of  passing 
steamers  drawing  five  feet  of  water,  at  an  expense  of  $4,164,- 
270.  A bill  was  now  before  Congress  for  the  improvement 
of  the  two  rivers  to  a depth  of  four  feet  at  low  water.  To 
put  the  Upper  Fox  in  a condition  to  give  four  feet  at  low 
water  would  cost  about  $400,000,  so  that  the  whole  cost  of 
a water  route,  to  be  four  feet  deep,  between  Prairie  du  Chien 
and  Green  Bay,  connecting  the  Mississippi  with  Lake  Michi- 
gan, would  be  $4,400,000.  To  that  must  be  added  whatever 
sum  should  be  found  in  justice  due  the  private  company,  the 
highest  estimate  of  which  was  $200,000.  This  company  was 
perfectly  willing  to  take  any  sum  which  was  in  justice  due 
them. 

The  question  had  sometimes  been  asked  him,  why  the  gov- 
ernment of  the  United  States  should  not  take  charge  of  this 
work.  His  reply  was,  that  it  was  as  nearly  a purely  national 
work  as  any  work  of  the  kind  in  the  country.  It  connected  the 
navigable  waters  of  the  Mississippi  Valley  with  the  navigable 
waters  of  the  Lakes,  connecting  nearly  three-quarters  of  the 
navigable  waters  of  the  Union.  He  did  not  desire  that  the 
State  of  Wisconsin  should  own  this  work,  because  he  did  not 
desire  that  this  State  should  have  any  right  to  fix  the  tolls  upon 
the  route.  The  State  of  Wisconsin,  like  other  States,  might 
feel  the  influence  of  corporations  that  would  compel  the 
State  to  put  up  the  rates  of  toll,  and  thus  defeat  the  great 
object,  namely,  securing  water  competition  with  railroads. 


Ship  Canals. 


5 


Gov.  Fairchild  then  read  from  the  memorial  to  Congress 
of  the  Prairie  du  Cliien  Canal  Convention,  to  show  that  the 
saving  would  be  amply  sufficient  to  justify  the  expenditure. 
It  would  reduce  the  freight  charges  upon  every  ton  of  coarse 
freight  moved  from  the  Mississippi  eastward,  or  from  Lake 
Michigan  westward,  by  water  or  rail.  Statistics,  he  claimed, 
showed  that  the  receipts  and  cost  of  transportation  by  rail 
are  each  about  three  times  as  great  as  by  canal,  and  about 
eight  times  as  great  as  by  river.  The  quantity  of  grain  to  be 
transported  was  about  2,500,000  tons.  There  would  be  a sav- 
ing upon  this  vast  amount  of  $4.26  per  ton  over  the  cost  of 
transportation  by  the  present  means  of  conveyance,  which 
would  amount  to  $10,650,000,  a sum  more  than  twice  the 
estimated  cost  of  the  proposed  work,  to  be  saved  upon  the 
movement  eastward  of  a single  grain  crop. 

The  people  of  the  West  were  selling  their  wheat  for  forty 
cents  a bushel,  and  it  cost  the  price  of  two  bushels  more  to  get 
that  bushel  to  New  York.  The  people  of  the  West  would  not 
raise  wheat  many  years  at  that  rate  ; they  would  enter  upon 
some  other  line  of  farming.  The  people  of  the  East  could  no 
more  afford  to  have  a short  crop  of  wheat,  than  the  people  of 
the  West ; nor  could  they  afford  to  pay  a high  rate  for  the 
transportation  of  that  wheat  between  the  farm  of  the  West  and 
the  granary  of  the  East,  any  more  than  the  western  people 
could.  Hence  he  had  ventured  to  lay  this  subject  before  the 
Board,  in  the  hope  that  by  so  doing  he  might  induce  some  of 
them  to  investigate  it  more  carefully  in  future.  Congress  was 
not  asked  now  for  any  appropriation,  but  simply  to  take  the  first 
step,  and  find  out  how  much  it  will  cost  to  take  this  company 
out  of  the  way,  Congress  not  binding  itself  to  do  so,  but  the 
company  binding  itself  to  take  whatever  was  awarded.  When 
that  was  done,  he  hoped  the  people  of  the  East  would  join  the 
people  of  the  North-West,  and  they  would  go  together  to  Con- 
gress and  ask  them  to  loan  five  millions  to  the  people  of  this 


6 


Ship  Canals. 


whole  country,  for  a period  not  exceeding  five  years,  so  that 
they  might  have  this  first  link  between  the  Mississippi  and  the 
Lakes,  and  reduce  the  cost  of  transportation.  [Applause.] 

Hon.  F.  W.  Lincoln  then  offered  the  following  Resolution : 

Resolved,  That  the  Boston  Board  of  Trade  has  heard  with  pleas- 
ure, the  statement  of  Gov.  Fairchild  of  Wisconsin,  in  reference  to 
connecting  the  waters  of  the  Mississippi  with  Lake  Michigan,  by 
the  improvement  of  the  Fox  and  Wisconsin  Rivers,  and  hereby  ex- 
presses its  hearty  sympathy  in  this  and  every  other  measure  by 
which  it  is  proposed  to  cheapen  and  to  increase  the  means  of  com- 
munication between  the  North-Western  and  Atlantic  States. 

The  Resolution  was  adopted  unanimously. 

The  President  (Hon.  Alexander  H.  Rice).  We  shall  now 
have  the  pleasure  of  listening  to  the  distinguished  gentlemen 
whom  we  have  present  with  us  from  Vermont  and  Canada,  in 
reference  to  the  construction  of  the  proposed  canal  connecting 
the  waters  of  Lake  Champlain  with  the  River  St.  Lawrence,  a 
subject  which  has  been  already  considered  at  sundry  times  by 
this  Board,  in  one  or  another  of  its  aspects,  and  which,  without 
any  further  introduction,  I know  will  commend  itself  to  your 
interest  and  attention. 

I have  the  honor  to  present  to  you  Gov.  Underwood,  of 
Vermont. 

Remarks  of  Hon.  Levi  Underwood. 

Mr.  President  and  Gentlemen  of  the  Boston  Board  of  Trade : 

I am  here  by  the  kind  permission  of  the  President  and  Secre- 
tary of  your  Board,  not  for  the  purpose  of  asking  any  definite 
action  of  the  Board  of  Trade  upon  the  subject  which  I desire  to 
present,  nor  am  I here  for  the  purpose  of  informing  the  gentle- 
men of  the  Boston  Board  of  Trade  of  the  vast  importance  of 
improving  the  modes  of  transportation  of  the  products  of  the 
West  to  the  Atlantic  coast,  or  the  products  of  the  industry  of 
New  England  to  the  markets  of  the  West.  Already,  the  inter- 


Ship  Canals. 


7 


est  of  Massachusetts,  and  of  Boston,  in  these  objects,  has  been 
demonstrated  by  the  liberal  advances  that  the  State  of  Massa- 
chusetts has  made  for  the  purpose  of  improving  the  different 
routes  between  the  East  and  the  West,  and  the  different  lines  of 
transportation.  Therefore  you  need  no  light  on  the  subject  of 
the  vast  importance  that  it  is  to  New  England,  as  well  as  to  the 
West,  to  improve  the  modes  of  transporting  the  products  of  the 
one  portion  of  the  country  to  the  other. 

We  all  know  very  well  that  the  manufacturing  regions  and 
grain-growing  regions  must  be  kept  close  together.  As  you 
widen  the  gap  between  them,  you  create  commercial  disadvan- 
tages and  inconveniences  which  must  result  in  political  disturb- 
ances, unless  they  can  be  remedied.  We  all  know  very  well, 
that  if  New  England  is  to  suffer  an  inconvenience  greater  than 
any  other  portion  of  the  country,  her  industrial  interests  must 
suffer  in  proportion,  and  this  must  be  relieved,  or  the  people  of 
New  England  will  be  compelled  to  emigrate,  and  seek  a place 
where  their  labor  will  produce  a result  more  to  their  advantage. 

I come  before  you  for  the  purpose  of  presenting  the  subject 
of  a new  route  for  the  transportation  of  the  produce  of  the  West 
to  New  England  and  to  the  Atlantic  States  generally,  and  for 
the  transportation  of  the  products  of  the  manufacturing  regions 
of  the  Atlantic  States  to  the  markets  of  the  West. 

Already  Massachusetts  is  exerting  a wonderful  power  upon 
the  subject  of  transportation.  She  has  undertaken  the  task  of 
tunnelling  the  Hoosac  mountain,  and  has  engaged  the  energies 
of  the  Hon.  Walter  Slianly,  (who  is  now  present  by  my  invita- 
tion,) in  that  work — one  which  is  without  a parallel  in  the 
world  in  its  vast  importance,  and  in  the  expense  necessary  for 
the  accomplishment  of  the  result.  I do  not  come  here  for  the 
purpose  of  making  any  assault  upon  railroad  transportation. 
Railroads  are  an  absolute  necessity.  But  when  there  is  com- 
merce between  one  section  of  a country  and  another,  there  is  a 
certain  class  of  products  that  cannot  afford  to  be  transported  by 


8 


Skip  Canals . 


rail ; they  must  come  by  water.  There  are  some  descriptions 
of  goods  that  must  go  by  rail,  because  speed  is  of  the  utmost 
consequence.  Where  there  is  no  interchange  of  products, 
there  will  be  no  interchange  of  men.  Therefore,  the  passenger 
transportation  between  one  Action  of  a country  and  another 
depends  upon  the  amount  of  products  interchanged  between  the 
two  sections.  Hence,  if  the  expense  of  the  transportation  of 
commodities  between  different  sections  of  a country  is  so  great 
as  to  be  a prohibition  upon  it,  or,  in  other  words,  when  they 
cannot  afford  to  be  transported,  then  you  have  no  transportation 
of  passengers  and  no  transportation  that  can  support  a railroad 
at  all.  Hence  water  transportation  is  just  as  necessary  to  rail- 
way communication  as  railway  transportation  is  necessary  to 
water  communication  ; and  therefore,  when  you  are  developing 
the  water  communications  of  a country,  you  are  not  lessening 
the  value  of  railroads,  but  increasing  it.  Every  railroad  that 
traverses  a country  which  has  water  communications  is  able  to 
pay  its  expenses  and  earn  fair  dividends,  whereas,  railroads  that 
traverse  sections  of  country  destitute  of  water  communications 
have  little  business.  The  reason  is,  because  cumbrous  articles 
of  freight  cannot  be  transported  on  railroads  for  great  distances 
at  a profit  to  the  producer. 

In  1846,  the  Hon.  John  Young,  of  Montreal,  (who  is  now 
present,  also  at  my  suggestion,  with  the  permission  of  the  Presi- 
dent and  Secretary  of  the  Board  of  Trade,)  strongly  urged 
upon  the  Canadian  government  the  importance  of  improving 
the  water  communication  between  the  great  Lakes  and  Lake 
Champlain.  He  then  demonstrated,  to  his  own  satisfaction, 
and  to  the  satisfaction  of  the  most  intelligent  men  connected 
with  the  commercial  interests  of  the  country,  that  with  an 
expenditure  of  less  than  seven  millions  of  dollars,  communica- 
tion could  be  opened  between  Lakes  Superior  and  Michigan  and 
Lake  Champlain,  so  that  vessels  of  850  tons,  laden  at  Chicago, 
could  come  down  into  Lake  Champlain,  within  284  miles  of 


Ship  Canals. 


9 


Boston  by  rail,  without  breaking  bulk,  carrying  50,000  bushels 
of  grain,  at  a speed  of  eight  miles  an  hour.  The  distance 
between  Chicago  and  Burlington  is  1,471  miles,  so  that  the 
time  required  for  the  transportation  of  40,000  bushels  of  grain 
between  Chicago  and  a point  within  234  miles  of  Boston  would 
be  less  than  the  time  required  for  the  transportation  of  200  tons 
through  the  Erie  Canal,  from  Buffalo  to  Albany. 

I need  not  go  into  any  calculation  as  to  the  advantages  of 
carrying  grain  by  water  in  vessels  of  large  capacity.  It  will 
be  readily  recognized  as  a proposition  that  needs  no  enforce- 
ment. As  you  increase  the  size  of  your  vessels  you  lessen  the 
cost  of  transportation.  It  will  be  borne  in  mind,  also,  that  this 
route  is  one  that  has  very  little  canal  navigation.  The  Welland 
Canal,  from  Lake  Erie  to  Lake  Ontario,  will  now  pass  vessels  of 
about  400  tons.  It  is  proposed  to  enlarge  and  improve  it  to 
the  capacity  of  850  tons,  and  already  authority  has  been  granted 
to  a company  for  that  purpose.  The  distance  from  Fort  Col- 
borne,  on  Lake  Erie,  to  Port  Dalhousie,  on  Lake  Ontario,  is  less 
than  28  miles.  From  Chicago  to  that  point  it  is  open,  free  navi- 
gation ; no  tolls  required.  From  Port  Dalhousie  to  the  entrance 
of  the  Caughnawaga  Canal,  at  the  Indian  village  of  Caughna- 
waga,  on  the  St.  Lawrence,  above  the  Lachine  rapids  the  chan- 
nels, according  to  the  report  of  Canadian  engineers,  can  be 
cleared  at  small  expense,  so  that  no  further  canaling  will  be 
required  for  the  descent  of  boats.  The  length  of  the  Caughna- 
waga Canal  will  be  30  miles.  Add  the  length  of  the  Welland 
Canal  and  you  have  57  miles  of  canal  between  Chicago  and 
Burlington,  so  far  as  respects  the  descending  freight.  The 
returning  freight  will  go  through  the  St.  Lawrence  canals. 
These  are  small  canals,  the  precise  dimensions  of  which  I have 
not  in  my  mind,  and  will  not  attempt  to  state  them.  But  the 
advantages  of  this  route  can  be  readily  seen.  It  is  a route 
through  cold  water ; it  can  be  traversed  by  steam  at  the  rate  of 
eight  miles  an  hour,  while  the  rate  on  the  Erie  Canal,  by  horse 
2 


10 


Ship  Canals . 


power,  is  less  than  two  miles  an  hour.  The  time  required  to 
pass  from  Buffalo  to  Albany,  on  the  Erie  Canal,  will  average 
ten  or  fifteen  days,  a distance  of  361  miles.  Its  advantages, 
therefore,  are  apparent  if  the  route  is  feasible. 

The  question  is,  Can  the  canal  be  made  ? This  subject  was 
pressed  upon  the  Canadian  Parliament  in  1847-48,  and  a char- 
ter was  granted,  reserving  to  the  Canadian  Government  the 
power  to  determine  the  point  of  departure  from  the  St.  Law- 
rence River.  The  interests  of  Montreal  were  all-powerful,  and 
they  determined  that  the  point  of  departure  should  be  below 
the  Lachine  rapids,  at  Longueil,  which  required  a lockage  of 
100  feet,  down  and  up,  for  a very  long  distance.  That  was  a 
condition  that  could  not  be  accepted.  The  desired  route 
required  a lockage  of  22  to  25  feet  only  and  a distance  of  less 
than  thirty  miles  from  the  St.  Lawrence  to  Lake  Champlain. 

I became  interested  in  this  subject  as  early  as  1853,  and  from 
that  time  to  this  I have  been  more  or  less  pressing  the  matter, 
for  the  purpose  of  procuring  the  necessary  legislation,  which 
would  enable  private  individuals  to  open  this  route  for  the 
accommodation  of  the  commerce  of  New  England.  In  1860  a 
bill  was  prepared  by  myself  and  the  Hon.  John  Young,  and 
presented  to  the  Canadian  ministers  for  their  consideration. 
While  it  was  under  consideration  the  rebellion  occurred,  which 
caused  a suspension  of  our  operations,  and  the  thing  rested 
until  1866,  when  we  again  commenced  the  agitation  of  this 
subject,  and  have  pressed  it  until,  at  the  last  session  of  Parlia- 
ment, a charter  was  granted  for  the  construction  of  a ship 
canal,  called  the  “ Caughnawaga  Canal,”  which  enables  us  to 
depart  from  a point  on  the  river  St.  Lawrence,  on  Lake  St. 
Louis,  and  come  out  on  some  point  on  the  river  Richelieu,  on 
Lake  Champlain,  or  on  the  Chambly  Canal.  I have  the  pleas- 
ure of  handing  several  copies  of  that  charter  to  the  President 
of  the  Board.  I regard  this  charter  as  one  of  the  most  favorable 
character.  It  will  protect  the  interests  of  those  who  engage  in 


Ship  Canals . 1 1 

the  enterprise  as  fully  as  any  charter  which  could  be  granted 
by  any  legislative  body. 

I desire  now  to  say  a few  words  as  to  the  cost  of  constructing 
this  canal,  as  to  the  advantage  of  this  route  over  any  other,  not 
only  as  relates  to  economy  in  its  construction,  but  as  to  the 
dividends  that  it  may  earn  for  its  stockholders,  and  as  to  the 
length  of  time  that  it  may  be  open  for  use  during  the  year,  and 
then  submit  this  matter  to  the  consideration  of  the  gentlemen 
of  Boston,  who  are  certainly  of  the  highest  order  of  intelligence 
and  of  the  first  order  of  liberality  in  regard  to  all  measures 
designed  to  improve  the  facilities  for  transporting  the  com- 
modities of  the  country. 

I hold  in  my  hand  a table  which  is  taken  from  the  official  re- 
ports of  the  commissioners  of  public  works  in  Canada,  and  in 
the  State  of  New  York,  showing  the  days  when  the  Welland 
Canal  has  been  open  and  closed  during  each  year,  from  1848 
to  1868,  inclusive  ; and  also  the  days  when  the  Erie  Canal  has 
been  open  and  closed  during  the  same  period  of  time  ; the  num- 
ber of  navigable  days  in  each  year  on  the  Welland  Canal  and 
the  Erie  Canal,  and  the  difference  in  favor  of  the  Welland 
Canal,  each  and  every  year  during  that  period  of  twenty-one 
years.  In  no  year  has  the  difference  been  less  than  five  days  in 
favor  of  the  Welland  Canal,  as  compared  with  the  Erie,  in 
respect  to  the  time  of  opening ; and  the  Welland  Canal  and  the 
St.  Lawrence  route  into  Lake  Champlain  have  been  navigable 
twenty-one  days  longer  each  year,  on  the  average  for  the  twen- 
ty-one years,  than  the  route  from  Buffalo  to  Albany  through  the 
Erie  Canal.  That  I regard  as  of  vast  importance  in  the  matter 
of  the  transportation  of  breadstuffs. 

In  addition  to  that,  I desire  to  state  another  important  fact  in 
relation  to  the  transportation  of  breadstuffs,  which  bears  on  the 
question  of  heat.  The  length  of  time  required  for  the  trans- 
portation of  a cargo  of  40,000  bushels  of  grain  from  Chicago  to 
Burlington,  will  be  less  than  will  be  required  from  Buffalo  to 


12 


Ship  Canals. 


Albany  in  boats  of  two  hundred  tons.  Two  hundred  and  ten 
tons  is  the  capacity  of  the  enlarged  Erie  Canal.  Every  man 
who  is  engaged  in  the  transportation  of  grain,  knows  very  well 
that  this  matter  of  heat  is  an  important  one,  especially  if  the 
voyage  is  very  long ; and  when  you ^consider  the  fact,  that  the 
Erie  Canal  is  three  hundred  and  sixty-one  miles  long,  and  the 
time  required  for  transportation  is  more  than  ten  days,  after  the 
grain  has  been  brought  from  Chicago  to  Buffalo ; that  it  is 
through  a shallow  stream  of  water,  heated  to  a temperature  of 
about  seventy-five  degrees,  it  is  evident  that  the  amount  of  grain 
destroyed  by  the  heat  must  be  enormous.  In  fact,  it  is  so  large, 
that  there  are  dealers  at  Albany  and  also  at  Buffalo,  whose  busi- 
ness it  is  to  buy  damaged  grain.  The  other  route  is  through 
cool  water,  by  open  navigation,  where  it  is  not  exposed  to  that 
heat.  You  do  not  have  the  heat,  and  you  save  the  time ; and 
time  is  saved  during  the  last  days  of  the  transportation,  when 
you  would  expect  the  grain  to  be  the  most  heated.  I regard  the 
avoidance  of  this  exposure  to  warm  water  as  of  vast  importance. 
The  question  is,  whether  the  people  are  to  be  fed  with  damaged 
grain  or  the  purchaser  subjected  to  the  loss,  or  whether  grain 
can  be  transported  in  such  time  and  in  such  way  as  to  relieve 
you  from  this  evil.  These  points  I regard  as  of  vast  importance, 
and  it  is  apparent  to  everybody  that  the  advantages  are  greatly 
in  favor  of  this  route  which  is  proposed  to  be  opened. 

The  Caughnawaga  Canal  is  proposed  to  be  a trifle  less  than 
thirty  miles  long.  The  number  of  locks  will  be  two.  It  will 
be  fed  from  Lake  Champlain  into  the  St.  Lawrence  River  at  the 
village  of  Caughnawaga.  It  is  a limestone  region, — the  same 
kind  of  stone  of  which  Montreal  is  built, — and  the  cuttings  will 
furnish  the  necessary  material  for  the  locks  and  the  stone-work 
upon  the  line.  It  is  proposed  to  build  the  canal  to  accommo- 
date vessels  of  eight  hundred  and  fifty  tons.  I suggested  to 
Mr.  Mills,  who  is  an  engineer  of  great  ability,  that  it  should  be 
one  hundred  and  fifty  feet  wide  at  the  surface  of  the  water,  and 


Ship  Canals. 


13 


at  least  one  hundred  feet  wide  at  the  bottom,  and  the  depth  ten 
feet  six  inches.  I suggested  that  this  would  accommodate  ves- 
sels of  eight  hundred  and  fifty  tons.  Mr.  Mills  is  an  engineer 
of  the  State  of  New  York,  who  has  been  very  largely  engaged 
in  the  hydrographical  surveys  of  that  State,  which  have  so 
largely  engaged  the  attention  of  the  people  of  New  York,  in 
relation  to  their  canals.  He  is  a topographical  engineer  of  the 
first  order.  He  made  a survey  of  this  canal,  and  made  the  esti- 
mates, both  topographical  and  hydrographical,  and  they  were 
submitted  to  the  Canadian  government  sometime  ago.  I called 
on  him  and  asked  him  to  revise  his  surveys,  and  to  make  esti- 
mates of  the  cost  of  this  canal,  enlarging  it  from  a capacity  of 
six  hundred  tons  and  locks  two  hundred  feet  long,  to  locks  three 
hundred  feet  long  and  forty- six  feet  wide,  to  accommodate  ves- 
sels of  eight  hundred  and  fifty  tons.  I have  the  pleasure  of 
submitting  his  letter,  addressed  to  me  on  that  subject.  (See 
Appendix.) 

I have  thus  presented  to  you  the  fact  of  the  incorporation  of 
a stock  company  for  the  opening  of  steamship  navigation  from 
the  river  St.  Lawrence  to  Lake  Champlain,  with  the  estimates 
of  one  of  the  ablest  engineers  in  the  country,  from  actual  sur- 
veys, and  I think  you  will  bear  me  out  in  saying  that  his  esti- 
mate in  relation  to  the  20  per  cent,  is  very  liberal,  when  you 
consider  the  fact  that  at  the  present  time  labor  in  Canada  is 
quite  as  cheap  as  at  the  time  when  he  made  his  original  estimate. 
The  Canadians  present  can  answer  for  that.  The  Dominion 
Parliament  having  also  granted  to  a private  company  the  right 
to  enlarge  the  Welland  Canal,  in  which  other  gentlemen  have 
taken  a deep  interest,  that  work  is  progressing ; so  that  it  is 
hoped  that  if  the  people  take  the  interest  in  this  subject  which 
its  importance  demands,  within  two  years,  or,  at  most,  within 
three  years  from  the  present  time,  there  will  be  steamship  nav- 
igation between  the  East  and  the  West,  from  Lake  Champlain 
into  Lake  Michigan  and  Lake  Superior,  and  a route  established 


14 


Ship  Canals . 


which  will  connect  with  the  great  improvement  suggested  by 
the  distinguished  gentleman  from  Wisconsin,  and  double  its 
value ; and  its  importance  is  pressed  all  the  more  from  the 
urgent  necessity  which  exists  for  some  outlet  for  the  produce  of 
the  West  beyond  what  it  now  enjoys. 

At  some  future  time  I may  think  best  to  present  in  some 
other  form  to  the  general  commercial  interests  of  Boston  this 
subject  more  at  length,  but  I think  that  now,  as  no  definite 
action  is  solicited,  you  have  heard  enough  from  me  to  direct 
your  attention  to  it.  The  Hon.  John  Young,  who  has  been 
very  urgent  in  this  matter,  and  has  pressed  it  from  the  outset, 
until  it  has  received  the  necessary  legislation,  and  until  all  that 
remains  to  be  done  is  simply  to  procure  the  small  capital  neces- 
sary to  accomplish  the  work, — being  present,  and  being  very 
familiar  with  all  the  details  of  this  matter,  I will  ask  that 
he  may  have  an  opportunity  to  speak  fully  on  the  subject. 
[Applause.] 

Remarks  of  Hon.  John  Young. 

After  the  able  and  exhaustive  statement  made  by  my  friend, 
Gov.  Underwood,  I have  but  little  more  to  say.  This  matter  of 
transportation  is  exciting  the  attention  of  governments  and 
statesmen  everywhere.  In  Europe,  the  last  evidence  of  this  is 
the  opening  up  to  trade  and  commerce  the  Suez  Canal,  adding 
facilities  and  cheapening  freight  to  India.  In  the  United  States 
and  Canada,  the  subject  of  lessening  the  cost  of  freight  between 
one  part  of  this  great  continent  and  another  commanded  the 
attention  of  the  people  at  an  early  day.  The  great  De  Witt 
Clinton,  of  New  York,  saw  the  importance  of  connecting  the 
interior  lakes  with  the  Hudson,  and  although  his  schemes  were 
ridiculed,  he  lived  to  see  the  day,  two  years  after  the  opening 
of  the  Erie  Canal  in  1827,  when  all  his  anticipations  of  trade, 
which  had  been  derided,  were  not  one-fourth  of  the  actual  trade, 
and  the  canal  was  scarcely  completed,  when  it  was  seen  that 
an  enlargement  of  it  was  necessary. 


Ship  Canals. 


15 


In  this  question  of  cheap  transportation,  the  size  of  the  vessel 
carrying  the  freight  is  all-important.  A large  vessel  can  carry 
cheaper  than  a small  one.  This  has  been  verified  in  every  way, 
and  the  fact  is  universally  recognized.  It  has  been  exemplified 
on  the  Erie  Canal.  That  canal  was  enlarged  from  boats  of  78 
tons  to  those  of  210  tons,  and  the  result  was  a reduction  of  50 
per  cent,  on  cost  of  freight.  It  is  proposed  to  enlarge  it  for 
vessels  of  500  tons,  and  the  most  eminent  engineers  declare 
that  a reduction  of  50  per  cent,  below  present  rates  will  follow 
this.  Both  in  the  United  States  and  Canada  mistakes  have 
been  made  in  all  public  works  destined  for  Western  trade  by 
making  the  canals  too  small.  In  Canada  we  began  with  locks 
of  19  feet;  we  enlarged  them  to  26  feet;  again  we  enlarged 
most  of  them  to  45  feet.  This  is  the  size  of  the  locks  on  the 
St.  Lawrence  canals,  with  a length  of  200  feet.  But  on  the 
Welland  Canal  the  locks  have  been  left  at  26  feet,  and  this  gov- 
erns and  controls  the  size  of  the  vessel  on  all  the  canals  between 
the  upper  lakes  on  that  route  and  the  ocean  below  Montreal. 
Until  the  Canadian  system  of  canals  we  never  had  any  connec- 
tion with  the  Eastern  States,  the  great  consuming  markets  of 
the  West,  and  it  is  to  point  out  the  advantage  of  this  connection 
that  I have  accepted  your  kind  invitation  to  be  present  here  to- 
day. Some  twenty-three  years  ago  I suggested  that  a canal 
should  be  made  to  connect  Lake  Champlain  with  the  St.  Law- 
rence at  a point  near  Montreal.  Differences  arose  as  to  the 
best  point  of  departure  from  the  St.  Lawrence,  and  nothing 
could  be  done.  The  government  of  Canada  have,  however, 
solved  all  these  difficulties  by  as  many  as  six  surveys  of  the 
canal  by  the  most  eminent  engineers,  and  at  the  last  session  of 
Parliament  at  Ottawa,  a charter  was  granted  to  a company  to 
construct  this  canal.  A charter  has  also  been  granted  to  a 
company  to  enlarge  the  Welland  Canal  and  adapt  the  whole 
navigation  to  vessels  of  850  tons,  capable  of  carrying  40,000 
bushels  of  grain ; and  what  I desire  to  show  you  is  the  impor- 


16 


Ship  Canals . 


tant  fact  that  with  the  construction  of  this  Caughnawaga  Canal 
of  thirty  miles  long,  with  a lockage  of  twenty-five  feet  only,  this 
850  ton  vessel  can  sail  from  the  head  of  Lake  Superior  or  Mich- 
igan with  this  40,000  bushels  of  grain,  without  breaking  bulk, 
to  the  eastern  side  of  Lake  Champlain,  at  Burlington,  and  there 
discharge  into  elevators  for  distribution  by  rail  throughout  New 
England.  Yes,  this  vessel  of  850  tons  can  come  to  Burlington, 
with  less  than  57  miles  of  canal,  from  the  head  of  Lake  Superior 
or  Michigan,  while  on  no  other  route  is  there  less  than  354  miles 
of  canal  navigation,  with  695  feet  of  lockage.  Can  there  be  a 
doubt  that  by  such  means,  freight  in  such  vessels  can  be  carried 
at  rates  from  the  West  never  yet  dreamed  of,  and  as  the  dis- 
tance from  Burlington  to  Boston  is  only  234  miles  by  rail,  it  is 
most  evident  that  freight  for  export  can  be  put  down  in  Boston 
as  cheap  as  in  New  York.  Examine  this  matter  and  you  will 
find  I am  right ; and  if  so,  what  employment  it  will  give  to  every 
railroad  connecting  Boston  with  Lake  Champlain.  It  seems  to 
me  every  man  who  owns  a dollar  in  real  estate  in  Boston,  and 
throughout  New  England,  should  examine  this  subject.  Every 
one  is  interested,  because  this  saving  in  freight  between  the 
East  and  the  West  is  so  much  added  to  the  value  of  every 
bushel  of  grain  produced  in  the  West,  or  the  same  is  cheapened 
to  the  consumer.  I commend  the  whole  matter  to  the  earnest 
attention  of  the  gentlemen  of  the  Boston  Board  of  Trade. 
[Applause.] 

The  President.  Gentlemen,  I am  sure  you  are  not  weary  of 
listening  to  this  subject.  We  have  other  distinguished  gentle- 
men present,  who,  I understand,  will  favor  us  with  some  further 
light  upon  it.  I have  the  pleasure  of  introducing  to  you  the 
Hon.  Walter  Shanly,  of  Canada. 

Remarks  of  Hon.  Walter  Shanly. 

Mr.  Chairman  and  Gentlemen , — I am  a civil  engineer,  and  I 
will  say  that  I have  been  acquainted  from  my  boyhood  with  the 


Ship  Canals. 


17 


subject  of  transportation.  I have  had  something  to  do  with  the 
canal  system  now  under  discussion,  and  I have  always,  ever 
since  I understood  the  importance  of  the  subject,  urged  upon 
the  government  of  Canada,  in  season  and  out  of  season,  the 
construction  of  the  Caughnawaga  Ship  Canal. 

Our  canals  in  Canada,  as  probably  some  gentlemen  here  may 
know,  are  all  on  a very  grand  scale  ; but  nevertheless,  the 
results  of  those  canals  have  not  been  such,  by  any  means,  as  we 
anticipated.  But  I have  always  thought  that  it  was  owing,  not 
so  much  to  the  fact  that  they  are  not  all  of  the  same  size,  as  to 
the  want  of  proper  connections. 

I think  I can  prove  to  you  that  you  can  lay  down  cereals  at 
Burlington,  cheaper  than  at  Albany  ; and  not  only  that,  but  it 
is  a self-evident  fact  that  if  this  line  of  water  communication  is 
opened,  very  much  larger  vessels  can  be  employed  than  are  now 
used  on  the  Erie  Canal,  or  ever  can  be,  and  for  this  reason  : 
that  the  Erie  Canal  may  be  said  to  haVe  almost  reached  its  limit 
of  capacity,  because  the  supply  of  water  is  not  sufficient  for  the 
purposes  of  enlargement.  The  next  improvement  required  is 
one  that  will  enable  vessels  to  leave  the  ports  of  the  western 
lakes,  and  pass  uninterrupted  into  Lake  Champlain,  which  will 
place  the  people  of  Boston  and  of  New  England  generally  in 
this  position, — that  the  cereals  of  the  West  will  be  laid  down  at 
some  point  on  Lake  Champlain,  much  cheaper  than  they  can 
be  laid  down  at  Albany.  And  in  point  of  time,  it  is  important 
to  bear  in  mind  that  you  can  transport  the  cereals  of  the  West 
to  Burlington,  supposing  the  Caughnawaga  Canal  is  built,  in 
less  time  than  it  now  takes  to  get  those  same  cereals  from  Buf- 
falo to  Albany.  Taking  the  rule  laid  down  by  engineers  for 
transportation  by  water,  so  many  miles  per  hour  through  lakes, 
so  many  through  canals,  and  so  much  time  to  be  allowed  for 
lockage,  it  is  quite  clear  to  me,  that  the  time  from  Chicago  to 
Burlington  will  be  less  than  under  the  most  favorable  circum- 
stances is  required  for  transportation  from  Buffalo  to  Albany. 

3 


18 


Ship  Canals. 


I think  it  takes  about  ten  days,  under  the  most  favorable  cir- 
cumstances. I have  seen  blocks  there,  towards  the  close  of  navi- 
gation, when  the  time  would  be  nearer  fifteen  days  than  ten 
from  Buffalo  to  Albany. 

If  the  Welland  Canal  is  enlarged,  and  the  Caughnawaga  Canal 
constructed,  I venture  to  say,  that  in  the  course  of  a few  years, 
a city  as  large,  active,  and  prosperous  as  Buffalo,  will  spring  up 
there,  which  will  be  to  Boston,  what  Buffalo  is  to  New  York. 
It  will  be  the  great  lake  depot,  whence  Boston  will  draw  her 
supplies  for  transhipment  across  the  ocean.  It  will  be  the 
great  market  for  the  products  of  the  West.  I feel  as  confident 
that  a great  city  will  grow  up  there,  either  at  Burlington  or 
some  other  place  on  the  lake,  as  I do  of  anything  in  the 
future ; and  the  growth  of  a city  there  could  not  fail  to 
conduce  greatly  to  the  advancement  of  Boston.  Already  one 
hundred  and  twenty  millions  of  bushels  of  grain  are  moved  on 
the  lakes. 

In  an  engineering  point  of  view,  there  is  no  difficulty  what- 
ever in  the  construction  of  the  Caughnawaga  Canal.  The  gen- 
tleman whose  letter  was  read  to  us  just  now,  is  a gentleman 
well-known  in  New  York  as  a civil  engineer.  I might  almost 
say  I served  my  time  under  him.  He  was  the  engineer  of  sev- 
eral canals  in  Canada  on  which  I was  engaged,  and  with  his 
views  and  figures  I entirely  concur.  [Applause.] 

Mayor  Shurtleff.  I have  risen,  sir,  not  to  attempt  to  say 
anything  on  a subject  with  which  I am  so  little  acquainted,  but 
simply  to  express  my  great  gratification  in  what  has  been  said 
by  these  distinguished  gentlemen  from  abroad,  in  regard  to 
matters  which  relate  so  preeminently  to  our  own  special 
advancement  and  prosperity.  With  your  indulgence,  I will 
submit  a Resolution  : — 

Resolved, , That  the  thanks  of  the  Board  are  hereby  tendered  to 
the  Hon.  Levi  Underwood,  the  Hon.  John  Young,  and  the  Hon. 


Ship  Canals . 


19 


Walter  Shanly,  for  the  very  interesting  statements  made  by  them 
on  this  occasion,  in  reference  to  the  proposed  very  important  con- 
nection which  is  to  be  effected  between  Lake  Champlain  and  the 
St.  Lawrence  River,  by  the  Caughnawaga  Canal. 

The  Resolution  was  adopted,  unanimously. 

Remarks  of  Hon.  E.  H.  Derby. 

I am  very  happy,  in  behalf  of  the  railroads  of  Northern  Mas- 
sachusetts, and  I might  add,  of  New  England  generally,  to 
respond  to  the  gentlemen  who  have  addressed  the  meeting,  and 
welcome  this  ship  canal  now  presented  as  an  acquisition  to  the 
railroad  world.  It  is  not  a railroad,  but  it  is  a feeder  to  rail- 
roads. A railroad  derives  its  support  more  or  less  from  the 
ocean,  from  the  lakes,  and  from  the  great  rivers.  This  plan  is 
designed  to  bring  the  great  rivers ’and  the  great  lakes  down  into 
contact  with  railroads,  that  we  may  carry  the  traffic  of  these 
great  waters  down  to  the  city  of  Boston,  and,  I trust,  eventu- 
ally, across  the  ocean,  from  Boston  to  the  old  world. 

We  live  at  a period  when  great  movements  are  made,  both 
upon  land  and  water.  One  of  the  gentlemen  who  has  addressed 
you  to-night  has  said  that  one  hundred  and  twenty  millions  of 
bushels  of  wheat  and  other  cereals  are  moved  upon  the  lakes  in 
a single  year.  I happen  to  have  read,  within  a few  days,  that 
a hundred  and  twenty  millions  of  bushels  are  imported  annu- 
ally into  Great  Britain.  That  will  probably  be  the  importation 
of  the  present  year.  Here,  on  one  side,  is  a production  of  one 
hundred  and  twenty  millions  of  bushels,  which  are  set  in 
motion  and  a large  portion  sent  to  the  other  side  of  the  ocean, 
in  addition  to  what  we  consume  ourselves  in  our  manufacturing 
districts ; there  is  a consumption  at  home  and  abroad  of  this 
hundred  and  twenty  millions  of  bushels.  There  is  a strange 
coincidence  in  the  figures. 

Well,  sir,  the  question  is,  what  portion  of  that  consumption 
abroad  is  furnished  by  America  ? The  United  States,  in  connec- 


20 


Ship  Canals. 


tion  with  Canada,  during  the  year  commencing  in  June  last, 
and  terminating  with  June  of  the  present  year,  will  have  sent 
abroad  sixty  millions  of  bushels ; an  amount  equal  to  one-half 
of  the  deliveries  on  the  lakes  of  this  country  will  have  been 
sent  across  the  ocean,  and  nearly  all  to  Great  Britain.  This 
year,  to  the  astonishment  of  every  one  who  has  examined  the 
subject, — and  I believe  very  few  have, — instead  of  supplying 
one-fourteenth  of  the  consumption  of  Great  Britain  of  foreign 
grain,  we  are  supplying  nearly  one-half  the  entire  consumption 
of  that  country.  This  increase  has  taken  place  in  the  compass 

of  four  or  five  years,  and  I believe  this  trade  is  but  in  its  infancy. 

0 

Our  friends  propose,  as  I understand  it,  to  extend  Lake 
Champlain  into  the  St.  Lawrence,  on  the  one  hand,  and  the 
great  lakes  into  the  Mississippi,  on  the  other. 

The  great  desideratum  of  Boston,  and  indeed  of  New  Eng- 
land, Canada  and  the  West,  is  a direct  ship  canal  from  Lake 
Champlain  to  the  St.  Lawrence,  at  the  mouth  of  the  Ottawa,  by 
which  steamships  of  800  to  1,000  tons  may  descend  from  the 
heads  of  Lakes  Michigan  and  Superior,  without  breaking  bulk, 
to  the  eastern  shores  of  Vermont,  and  by  which  the  pines  of 
Canada  may  flow  down  the  Ottawa  and  strike  the  railways 
which  point  the  way  to  Boston,  through  a region  studded  with 
factories. 

On  the  open  sea,  the  cost  of  transportation  on  long  voyages  is 
but  one  mill  per  ton  & mile.  On  lakes  and  rivers,  for  long  dis- 
tances, but  two  mills  and  a half  per  ton.  On  a ship  canal,  like 
that  proposed,  which  is  but  a link  between  the  lakes  and  navi- 
gable rivers,  it  is  but  five  mills  per  ton ; while  by  Mr. 
McAlpine’s  computation,  it  ranges  on  a canal  like  the  Erie, 
without  counting  profits  from  tolls,  from  seven  to  nine  mills  per 
ton.  On  railways  the  rate  ranges  with  the  length  and  gradi- 
ents from  six  to  sixteen  mills  per  ton  a mile,  exclusive  of  tolls 
and  depot  charges. 

The  effect  of  the  ship  canal  and  of  the  enlargement  of  a few 


Ship  Canals. 


21 


locks,  will  be  to  bring  the  great  lakes  and  their  outlets  within 
two  hundred  and  ten  miles  of  Boston ; to  create  at  Burlington 
another  Albany ; to  lower  the  price  of  lumber  to  New  England 
nearly  a dollar  per  thousand ; to  reduce  one-half  the  time  in 
which  the  water-borne  freight  of  the  West  now  reaches  the 
Atlantic  coast,  and  to  double  the  means  for  reaching  that  sea- 
coast.  This  ship  canal  offers  also  great  facilities  to  Montreal, 
connecting  it  with  both  Boston  and  New  York.  It  commences 
on  Lake  St.  Louis,  within  nine  miles  of  the  exchange  of  Mon- 
treal, is  easily  accessible  by  both  canal  and  railway,  and  gives  to 
that  city  other  routes  to  the  ocean  and  to  the  coal  mines  of 
Pennsylvania. 

The  tendency  of  such  enterprises  must  be  to  break  down  the 
barrier  of  duties  and  tolls  which  repress  the  trade  of  Canada, 
and  raise  the  cost  of  food,  shelter  and  raw  material  to  the 
artisans  of  New  England. 

The  plan  is  to  carry  Champlain  into  the  waters  of  the  St. 
Lawrence.  Now,  what  is  this  Lake  Champlain  ? Why,  it  has 
been  a canal  from  time  immemorial ; the  best  of  canals,  on 
account  of  its  width  and  its  placid  waters ; so  placid,  that  in  the 
time  of  the  French  wars,  before  our  fathers  reached  the  interior 
of  the  country,  the  French  and  Indians  came  up  in  their  bat- 
taux,  in  their  birch  canoes,  to  Ticonderoga  and  Whitehall,  and 
so  invaded  this  section.  But,  sir,  instead  of  an  invasion,  we 
will  have  treasure  floating  in  by  the  argosies  of  the  canal.  The 
extension  of  this  communication  will  do  more  to  conciliate 
Canada  and  ’promote  our  intercourse  with  that  country  than 
any  other  measure  which  could  be  adopted,  for  it  is  the  exten- 
sion of  a ship  canal  into  the  St.  Lawrence. 

And  what  do  you  find  in  the  St.  Lawrence  ? You  have  before 
• you  the  Hon.  John  Young,  who  has  made  a seaport  of  an  inland 
city — Montreal — by  deepening  the  channel  of  the  river.  A few 
years  since,  nothing  more  than  a schooner  or  a brig  could  pass 
from  the  ocean  up  to  Montreal,  but  to-day  a steamship  of  3,200 


22 


Ship  Canals. 


tons  can  come  there  from  Liverpool,  land  her  cargo  upon  the 
piers  of  the  city,  and  take  in  a return  cargo  of  grain,  to  be 
delivered  in  England.  That  has  been  the  achievement  of  a 
single  individual.  All  I ask  is,  that  the  same  energy  and  spirit 
which  have  been  displayed  in  improving  the  navigation  of  the 
St.  Lawrence  may  be  bestowed  upon  this  work,  for  it  is  not  only 
to  bring  a vast  amount  of  trade  from  that  region  into  New  Eng- 
land, but  is  to  be  literally  a bond  of  union  between  the  United 
States  and  Canada.  [Applause.] 

It  is  commerce  that  breaks  down  the  barriers  between  nation 
and  nation. 


“ Lands  intersected  by  a narrow  frith 
Abhor  each  other.” 

It  is  commerce  that  overleaps  this  “ narrow  frith.” 

“Mountains  interposed  make  enemies  of  nations.” 

But,  sir,  the  gentleman  on  my  left  [Mr.  Shanly,]  is  tunnelling 
the  Hoosac  Mountain ; and  very  small  mountains  only  are  to 
be  removed  to  open  a way  for  this  canal.  It  is  nearly  dead 
level  between  the  lake  and  the  river,  I am  told ; but  if  there  is 
any  mountain  there,  these  gentlemen  propose  to  remove  it,  and 
carry  Lake  Champlain  into  the  St.  Lawrence. 

We  speak  of  the  Mississippi  as  the  “ Father  of  Waters  ; ” but 
the  St.  Lawrence  is  the  great  outlet  of  the  region  in  which  we 
are  most  interested.  The  water  of  that  stream,  which  comes 
down  in  a vast  volume,  is  cold.  Unlike  the  waters  of  the  Mis- 
sissippi, unlike  the  waters-  of  the  Erie  Canal,  which  injure  the 
produce  carried  through  them,  this  mighty  stream  preserves, 
like  the  ocean,  the  wheat,  provisions,  and  other  commodities 
which  are  borne  upon  it.  Here  are  a few  locks  and  a few  short 
canals,  so  short,  and  of  so  little  importance,  that  I am  told  the 
steamers  that  come  down  with  pleasure  travellers,  run  almost 
all  the  rapids,  passing  by  almost  all  the  locks  of  the  St.  Law- 


Ship  Canals. 


23 


rence ; passing  down  by  the  river,  which  is  navigable,  not- 
withstanding its  difficulties,  and  come  down  to  Montreal. 
When  they  reach  Montreal,  there  is  already  a great  shipment  of 
grain  from  that  city  to  Europe.  Six  millions  of  bushels  are 
sent  annually  by  that  route  to  Europe — a very  large  portion  of 
the  sixty  millions  which  we  transport  across  the  ocean.  There 
is  more  wheat  moved  in  one  year  from  Montreal  across  the 
ocean  than  we  send  from  Boston  in  six  years ; and  what  we 
lack,  and  what  we  require  here,  is  the  introduction  of  wheat 
and  provisions  from  the  West.  The  city  of  Boston  is  admirably 
adapted  for  ocean  steam  navigation.  We  have  here  a large 
consumption  of  the  articles  which  are  imported  from  abroad. 
We  have  relieved  the  traveller  from  head  money.  Steamships 
come  here  laden  with  freight  from  Europe,  with  many  pas- 
sengers, with  full  cargo  lists.  When  they  have  discharged 
their  cargo  here,  what  do  they  find  ? There  is  no  freight 
for  the  return  voyage ; there  is  nothing  to  carry  back ; and, 
sir,  we  have  the  mortification  of  seeing  from  week  to  week, 
the  “ Inman  Line  ” and  the  “ Cunard  Line  ” send  their  steam- 
ers with  but  a small  part  of  a cargo,  directly  back  to  the  city  of 
New  York,  to  load  with  freight  to  be  taken  to  England,  because 
we  are  deficient.  But  these  gentlemen  come  and  proffer  to  us 
this  great  traffic.  They  are  going  to  make  a canal  which  will 
bring  to  us  the  grain,  provisions  and  other  commodities  of  the 
West ; and  they  will  carry  our  manufactures,  by  means  of  this 
canal,  to  Chicago,  and  to  Duluth,  at  the  head  of  Lake  Superior, 
and  there  they  find  railways  to  St.  Paul,  in  the  heart  of  Min- 
nesota, to  the  Red  River  of  the  North,  away  up  into  that  new 
region,  so  admirably  adapted  for  winter  wheat.  They  carry  us 
to  the  Northern  Pacific  and  to  the  Union  Pacific  Railways,  by 
the  shortest  route  from  the  lakes.  From  the  Union  Pacific,  a 
little  above  Omaha,  across  to  Duluth  is  a hundred  miles  less  in 
distance  than  the  railway  route  to  Chicago.  It  is  for  our  inter- 
est to  receive  freight  far  to  the  north.  If  we  take  it  at  Chicago 


24 


Ship  Canals. 


or  further  south,  Philadelphia  comes  in  with  her  lines,  Balti- 
more comes  in  with  hers,  New  York  comes  in  with  hers  ; but 
if  we  take  it  at  Duluth,  and  take  it  down  the  Sault  St.  Marie, 
and  deliver  it  on  Lake  Champlain,  we  have  the  first  chance. 
Let  us,  then,  take  this  freight  both  from  the  Northern  Pacific 
and  from  the  Union  Pacific.  That  road,  I am  told,  is  adopting 
a low  tariff — two  and  one-half  cents  a pound  from  the  Pacific 
Ocean  to  the  seacoast  at  Boston.  Let  it  bring  that  freight  at  pro 
rata  charges,  and  deliver  it  at  Duluth,  and  by  means  of  this 
connection  with  the  great  lakes,  we  will  bring  it  from  Duluth 
for  half  a cent  a pound,  nearly  half  as  far,  from  Lake  Superior 
to  Boston.  We  shall  then  receive  it  where  we  want  to  receive 
it.  We  will  bring  it  at  a profit,  and  to  the  benefit  of  our  com- 
merce, directly  into  Boston. 

Great  changes  are  being  introduced  into  the  commerce  of 
the  lakes.  When  the  Erie  Canal  was  first  opened,  the  mer- 
chandise that  was  going  west  was  charged  two  or  three  prices. 
There  was  less  of  it  than  of  the  downward  freight,  the  goods 
were  more  valuable,  and  it  was  then  thought  the  traffic  would 
pay  a higher  price.  But  now  it  is  found  politic  to  send  the 
return  freight  from  the  East  at  very  low  prices,  almost  as  bal- 
last, because  the  boats  must  go  back,  and  otherwise  they  might 
be  obliged  to  go  back  empty.  We  are  reversing  the  process. 
We  are,  in  the  Bay  State,  creating  goods  to  an  immense 
amount,  I think  $500,000,000  annually,  and  we  are  going  to 
send  them  to  the  West  rather  as  ballast  than  as  merchandise, 
by  means  of  steamers  to  pass  up  the  lakes  far  back  into  the 
interior. 

But  there  is  one  branch  of  traffic  to  which  I have  not  alluded, 
which  is  of  importance  to  this  enterprise,  and  which  alone,  I 
believe,  would  be  sufficient  to  sustain  it.  I allude  to  the  lum- 
ber traffic.  Canada  is  to  be,  in  the  future,  the  great  lumber 
region  of  the  United  States.  We  are  exhausting  the  lumber  of 
the  North.  On  the  vast  prairies  and  plains  of  the- West  there 


Ship  Canals. 


25 


is  no  lumber,  not  a tree  growing.  They  will  require  the  lum- 
ber of  Canada.  Now,  how  is  it  ? You  will  find  to-day  in  Can- 
ada 300,000  square  miles  covered  with  pine  trees.  Recollect 
that  our  State  of  Massachusetts  has  but  7,000  square  miles. 
This  territory  to  which  I refer  is  42-  times  the  size  of  Massachu- 
setts. Then  there  are  spruce  trees,  cedar,  hemlock  and  hack- 
matack. There  is  an  immense  supply  for  all  future  time  in 
Canada,  and  we  go  into  the  now  almost  inaccessible  forests  by 
means  of  this  canal,  which  leads  into  the  basin  of  Lake  St. 
Louis  in  the  St.  Lawrence  River,  directly  opposite  the  mouth  of 
the  Ottawa.  The  Ottawa  is  lined  with  these  pine  trees.  They 
will  float  down  to  the  mouth  of  this  canal. 

Even  now,  half  the  lumber  that  is  cut  in  Canada  comes  into 
this  country.  How  does  it  get  here  ? It  descends  the  rapids 
and  runs  down  to  the  city  of  Montreal ; then  goes  half  way 
down  to  Quebec,  and  then  comes  up  the  Richelieu  River,  by  a 
circuit  of  120  miles,  and  a change  of  elevation  of  120  feet, 
until  it  gets  up  to  St.  John,  and  is  floated  to  the  outlet  of  this 
canal.  There  is  an  extra  expense  of  a dollar  a thousand  and 
great  delay  to  bring  it  to  this  point,  which  would  be  saved  by 
this  canal.  I venture  to  say  that  the  transportation  of  lumber 
alone  would  be  sufficient  to  enable  this  canal  to  pay  six  per 
cent,  on  its  cost.  I know  that  when  Mr.  Jarvis  made  his  sur- 
vey, fifteen  or  twenty  years  ago,  he  predicted  that  the  amount 
of  freight,  chiefly  lumber,  would  be  two  millions  of  tons.  That 
was  in  February,  1855.  He  said  at  the  same  time  that  the  lake 
traffic  doubled  once  in  four  or  five  years.  He  showed  what  the 
traffic  of  the  Erie  Canal  would  be  to-day,  and  it  has  been  veri- 
fied by  the  result. 

Now,  here  is  the  lumber  which  will  sustain  this  canal.  We 
have  in  this  country  another  canal  which  resembles  it.  It  is 
true  that  in  Massachusetts  we  have  used  up  the  JBlackstone 
Canal,  and  we  have  used  up  other  canals ; but  those  were 
shallow  and  unsuitable  for  their  purpose.  But  here  is  a ship 
4 


26 


Ship  Canals . 


canal.  We  have  one  like  it  in  the  country.  Where  is  it? 
Perhaps  you  and  other  gentlemen  present  have  invested  in  the 
Philadelphia,  Wilmington  and  Baltimore  Railroad,  running 
from  Philadelphia  to  Baltimore,  one  of  the  most  successful 
enterprises  in  the  country,  one  hundred  miles  long,  almost  an 
air  line,  with  a magnificent  bridge  across  the  Susquehannah. 
Parallel  with  that  is  the  Chesapeake  and  Delaware  Canal.  It 
was  thought  by  some  it  would  come  to  nothing.  I have  received 
from  Mr.  Fraley,  the  President  of  the  National  Board  of  Trade, 
the  report  for  the  past  year  of  that  canal,  14  miles  long,  costing 
a little  more  than  this  will  cost,  because  it  had  a mountain  to  cut 
through,  which  we  have  not  here.  The  revenue  on  that  canal 
has  been  $368,000  for  the  past  year,  on  a capital  of  $3,250,000. 
Taking  out  the  expense  of  repairs  and  managing  it,  it  has 
returned  ten  per  cent,  on  its  capital,  and  is  increasing  its  busi- 
ness 22  or  24  per  cent,  per  annum.  There  is  proof  that  a 
steamship  canal  can  be  made  successful.  I venture  to  say  that 
the  traffic  in  this  region  will  surpass  the  traffic  upon  the  Chesa- 
peake and  Delaware  Canal.  That  has  a business  of  a million 
and  a quarter  of  tons  a year.  Mr.  Jarvis,  fifteen  years  ago, 
predicted  that  this  canal  would  have  two  millions  of  tons  by 
1860.  Since  he  wrote,  the  tonnage  of  the  New  York  canals 
and  of  the  Central  and  Erie  railroads  has  grown  from  three 
millions  to  twelve  and  a half  millions  of  tons.  Therefore  I feel 
confident  that  we  shall  get  this  important  connection  with  the 
West,  and  that  it  will  pay,  for  Mr.  Mills  thinks  it  will  cost  but 
two  millions  and  a half  of  dollars. 

I have  occupied  the  attention  of  the  meeting  longer  than  I 
intended,  but  I desire  to  make  one  further  call.  You  have 
heard  from  Mr.  Shanly  on  the  subject  of  the  canal.  He  is  in 
charge  of  another  gigantic  enterprise.  Like  New  York,  we  are 
to  have  two  important  railroad  lines  to  the  West,  possibly  four. 
I allude  to  the  Boston  and  Albany,  and  the  line  through  the 
Hoosac  mountain,  to  the  Grand  Trunk  and  the  Boston,  Hart- 


Hoosac  Tunnel. 


27 


ford  and  Erie.  We  are  to  have  our  four  railroads,  but  we 
have  no  Erie  Canal.  Now,  these  gentlemen  tender  us  a 
canal  which  is  superior  to  the  Erie.  I propose  that  Boston 
shall  have  her  four  railroads  and  her  canal  also.  Her  Hoosac 
Railroad  is  unfinished,  but  we  are  at  work  upon  it,  and 
Mr.  Shanly,  who  is  a member  of  the  firm  which  has  taken 
charge  of  this  great  work,  (and  I feel  some  pride  in  having  in- 
troduced him  to  it,)  is  here,  and  he  can  tell  you  all  about  it. 
I believe  he  will  tell  you  that  in  two  years  and  a few  months  the 
work  will  be  finished.  At  all  events,  I call  upon  him  for  a 
response.  [Applause.] 

Remarks  op  Hon.  Walter  Shanly. 

I feel  a little  delicate  about  making  any  extraordinary  prom- 
ises about  the  Hoosac  Tunnel,  because  I see  His  Excellency  the 
Governor  of  the  State  here.  Nevertheless,  I will  state  to  you 
the  condition  of  the  Tunnel  at  this  time. 

We  have  been  at  work  upon  the  Tunnel  a little  more  than  a 
year,  and  the  progress  we  have  made  is  such,  that  we  feel  per- 
fectly confident,  that  unless  some  extraordinary  circumstance 
should  occur,  which  we  cannot  possibly  foretell  or  foresee,  and 
have  no  reason  to  anticipate,  within  three  years  it  will  be  com- 
pleted. Our  contract  gives  us  something  over  four  years.  Yet 
we  have  hoped  and  expected  that  we  could  accomplish  it  in 
three,  and  have  reason  now  to  think  that  we  can.  The  Tunnel 
will  be  very  nearly  five  miles  long.  It  is  the  greatest  enterprise 
of  the  kind  in  the  world  but  one  ; the  Mount  Cenis  Tunnel  is 
somewhat  longer. 

The  Hoosac  Tunnel  has  penetrated  a mile  and  a half  on  the 
east  side,  and  upwards  of  a mile  on  the  west  side.  We  are  now 
working  upon  two  faces,  and  we  are  sinking  in  the  middle  what 
is  called  the  central  shaft,  upwards  of  a thousand  feet  deep. 
We  are  now  within  ninety  feet  of  the  grade  line  of  the  railroad, 
at  the  central  shaft.  We  think  at  the  end  of  three  months  we 


28 


Hoosac  Tunnel. 


shall  be  ready  to  start  two  more  faces  from  the  centre.  In  that 
way,  the  work  will  be  considerably  expedited  ; and  having  got 
our  machinery  in  very  perfect  order,  I trust  that  many  of  the 
members  of  this  honorable  Board,  and  other  Boston  gentlemen, 
will  come  up,  during  the  ensuing  summer,  and  see  for  them- 
selves the  Hoosac  Tunnel,  upon  which  a great  many  doubts  have 
been  cast  during  the  last  eight,  ten  or  fifteen  months.  I think 
if  they  should  come  there  and  see  the  thing  going  on  as  it  is, 
they  would  believe  that  it  is  to  be  completed.  No  exertions  will 
be  spared  on  our  part.  We  feel  that  the  honor  of  ourselves  and 
our  country  is  involved  in  our  completing  the  road.  We  have 
not  the  slightest  doubt  in  our  minds,  that  in  three  years  from 
now  we  can  run  a train,  almost  on  a dead  level,  from  here  to 
the  Hudson.  [Applause.] 


The  meeting  then  adjourned. 


Appendix. 


29 


APPENDIX. 


Peekskill,  May  14,  1870. 

To  the  Hon.  Levi  Underwood. 

Sir: — Your  favor  of  the  12th  is  in  hand.  Yon  suggest  that 
the  estimate  of  the  cost  of  the  Caughnawaga  Canal  be  so  modified 
as  to  contemplate  the  same  to  be  150  feet  wide,  (which  I conclude 
is  the  width  of  the  surface  of  the  water,  the  canal  being  full,)  which 
will  require  80  feet  additional  width  at  bottom,  making  the  canal 
110  feet  wide  at  bottom.  Also  to  increase  the  length  of  the  locks 
100  feet,  making  the  same  800  feet  in  length. 

I have  made  an  approximate  estimate  of  said  modifications,  and 
present  them  in  bulk  form,  excluding  details.  My  estimate  of  the 
cost  of  said  canal,  made  22  years  ago,  was  1,814,408  dollars  ; the 
canal  to  be  80  feet  wide  at  bottom,  and  the  locks  to  be  200  feet  in 
length. 

The  enlargement  of  the  prism  of  the  canal,  as  suggested,  will  cost 
211,200  dollars,  and  the  lengthening  of  the  locks  will  cost  120,000 
dollars. 

Then  we  have — 

Former  estimate, * . $1,814,408  00 

Enlargement  of  prism, 210,200  00 

Lengthening  of  locks,  ......  120,000  00 


Making,  ' . $2,145,608  00 

In  view  of  the  present  state  of  things,  in  a financial  point  of  view, 
as  distinguished  from  the  state  of  the  same  22  years  ago,  I conclude 
there  should  be  a certain  percentage  added  to  the  estimate  of  the 
cost  of  the  canal  to  make  the  same  better  conform  to  the  present 
state  of  the  affairs  in  the  country.  This  is  simply  a financial  ques- 
tion of  which  you  can  judge  as  well  as  I.  But  I think  we  ought  to 
add  at  least  20  per  cent,  to  the  estimate  as  above,  which  will  be 
429,121  dollars,  making  the  whole  estimated  cost  2,574,729  dollars, 
which  I think  will  perform  the  work.  Such  a canal  and  locks  as 
you  suggest  will  well  accommodate  a vessel  of  1,000  tons  ‘cargo, 


30 


Ship  Canals. 


and  in  accordance  with  all  estimates  of  the  progress,  advancement 
and  increase  of  the  business  of  the  country,  she  will  have  enough 
to  do.  I remain,  sir, 

Your  ob’t  servant, 

J.  B.  MILLS. 


Burlington,  June  8,  1870. 

Hon.  E.  H.  Derby. 

Dear  Sir  : — I find  from  the  examination  of  official  documents 
that  the  distance  from  Chicago  to  Burlington  via  Erie  Canal  is 
1,542  miles,  of  which  about  892  miles  is  canal,  with  884x3q  feet  of 
lockage.  Capacity  of  enlarged  Erie  Canal  boats  of  210  tons. 
Champlain  Canal  80  tons.  Time  required  to  move  grain  upon  an 
average  of  the  year  from  Chicago  to  Albany,  exclusive  of  time  re- 
quired to  transfer  cargo  from  propellers  to  canal  boats  at  Buffalo — 
at  the  rate  of  10  miles  per  hour  by  steam  propellers  on  the  Lakes 
and  the  reported  time  of  10  days  from  Buffalo  to  Albany — 14  J days, 
at  a cost  of  20t7o9q  cents  per  bushel. 

The  distance  from  Burlington  to  Chicago  via  the  proposed 
Caughnawaga  Canal,  1,471  miles,  of  which  57  miles  of  canal  only 
will  be  used  on  down  trips  and  85  on  up  trips,  with  lockage  on  Wel- 
land Canal  380.  Caughnawaga  proposed  lockage  25  feet.  St.  Law- 
rence Canal  used  on  up  trips  27  miles  and  161f  feet  lockage. 

Capacity  of  present  Welland  Canal  400  tons,  proposed  enlarge- 
ment 850  tons ; St.  Lawrence  Canal  600  tons,  proposed  enlargement 
850  tons ; Caughnawaga  Canal  proposed  850  tons.  Cost  of  trans- 
portation not  computed.  Time  from  Chicago  to  Burlington  alone, 
(36  hours  to  pass  through  Welland  and  Caughnawaga  Canals,)  6^ 
days.  Distance  from  Burlington  to  Duluth,  at  head  of  Lake  Supe- 
rior, 1,475  miles.  Sault  St.  Marie  Canal  about  one  mile,  capacity 
2,000  tons,  lockage  12  feet.  Time  from  Duluth  to  Burlington  6| 
days. 

The  amount  of  wheat  and  flour  transported  from  Buffalo  to 
Albany  in  1868  by  canal  was  13,015,371  bushels,  computing  a barrel 
of  flour  equal  to  five  bushels  of  wheat,  valued  at  $29,871,363.  I am 
informed  that  grain  and  flour  are  damaged  in  the  long  transit  of  the 
Erie  Canal  by  heating  and  souring  fully  five  per  cent,  upon  an  aver- 
age, which  makes  a loss  on  the  wheat  and  flour  alone  transported 
through  the  Erie  Canal  of  650,768  bushels,  valued  at  $1,293,568, 
which  is  half  the  estimated  cost  of  the  Caughnawaga  Canal. 


Appendix . 


31 


You  thus  perceive  that  from  the  short  time  required  in  transports 
from  Chicago  and  Duluth,  and  the  fact  that  the  route  is  through 
cold  water,  there  is  little  exposure  to  this  loss. 

A cargo  of  grain  from  Chicago  or  Duluth  can  reach  Boston  in 
eight  days,  allowing  ample  time  to  transfer  through  elevators  from 
propellers  to  cars ; while  it  will  take  more  than  sixteen  days  to 
reach  Boston  via  the  Erie  Canal  and  Boston  and  Albany  Railroad, 
allowing  for  one  transfer,  when,  in  fact,  there  must  be  one  at  Buffalo 
and  another  at  Albany. 

The  capacity  of  a propeller  of  850  tons  is  8,500  barrels  of  flour, — 
equal  to  85  carloads ; and  upwards  of  40,000  bushels  of  grain  in 
bulk,  notwithstanding  28,000  bushels  of  wheat  will  weight  about 
850  tons  at  60  pounds  to  the  bushel. 

It  is  apparent  that  grain  can  be  transported  to  Burlington  in 
these  large  vessels,  by  the  Caughnawaga  route,  at  about  half  the 
cost  of  the  transport  to  Albany  via  the  Erie  Canal,  in  addition  to 
immense  saving  of  time  and  the  damage  to  grain  by  being  long 
detained  in  the  hot  water  of  the  Erie  Canal. 

The  Company,  therefore,  cannot  fail  to  greatly  cheapen  transport 
while  it  will  earn  large  profits  to  the  stockholders. 

I am  yours  truly, 


LEVI  UNDERWOOD. 


32 


Ship  Canals, 


YEARS. 

Welland  Canal. 

Erie  Canal. 

Welland  Canal. 

No.  of  days  of 

navigation  in 

each  year. 

Erie  Canal.  No. 

of  days  of  navi- 

gation in  each 
year. 

No.  of  days  dif- 

ference in  favor 
of  Welland. 

Opened. 

Closed. 

Opened. 

Closed. 

1848, 

Apr.  10, 

Dec.  19, 

May  1, 

Dec.  9, 

254 

223 

31 

1849, 

3, 

7, 

1, 

5, 

249 

219 

30 

1850, 

1, 

12, 

Apr.  22, 

11, 

256 

234 

22 

1851, 

Mar.  25, 

12, 

15, 

5, 

263 

235 

28 

1852, 

Apr.  13, 

14, 

20, 

16, 

246 

241 

5 

1853, 

1, 

17, 

20, 

20, 

261 

245 

16 

1854, 

3, 

4, 

May  1, 

. 3, 

246 

217 

29 

1855, 

16, 

12, 

1, 

10, 

241 

224 

17 

1856, 

26, 

13, 

5, 

4, 

232 

213 

19 

1857, 

May  1, 

15, 

6, 

15, 

229 

224 

5 

1858, 

Apr.  7, 

7, 

Apr.  28, 

8, 

245 

226 

19 

1859, 

1, 

8, 

May  15, 

12, 

252 

212 

40 

1860, 

1, 

6, 

Apr.  25, 

12, 

250 

232 

18 

1861, 

8, 

12, 

May  1, 

10, 

249 

224 

25 

1862, 

15, 

15, 

1, 

10, 

245 

224 

21 

1863, 

13, 

13, 

1, 

9, 

245 

223 

22 

1864, 

13, 

11, 

Apr.  30, 

8, 

243 

223 

20 

1865, 

17, 

15, 

May  1, 

12, 

243 

226 

17 

1866, 

17, 

11, 

1, 

12, 

239 

226 

13 

1867, 

17, 

11, 

1, 

10, 

239 

224 

15 

1868, 

17, 

11, 

4, 

7, 

239 

218 

21 

Totals, 

5,166 

4,733 

433 

Average  number  of  days  navigable  each  year, . 

• • 

246 

225 

21 

Annual  average  in  favor  of  Welland  Canal,  . . . . .21  days. 


[Extract  from  Annual  Report  of  Auditor  of  New  York  Canal  Department  for  1869.] 

The  following  Statement  shows  the  Number  of  Tons  of  each  Class 
of  Property  carried  on  the  Canals  during  the  Season  of  Navi- 
gation in  the  year  1869,  and  on  the  Erie  and  Central  Railroads , 
from  October  1,  1868,  to  September  30,  1869. 


DESCRIPTION  OF  PROPERTY. 

Tons  of  each  class 

carried  on  the 

Canals. 

Tons  of  each  class 

carried  on  the 

Railroads. 

Total  tons  of  each 

class  carried  on 

the  Canals  and 

Railroads. 

Products  of  the  forests, 

Products  of  animals,  . 

Vegetable  food,  .... 
Other  agricultural  products, 
Manufactures,  .... 
Merchandise,  .... 
Other  articles,  .... 

Total  tons  carried, 

1,855,930 

8,691 

1,302,613 

2,767 

342,239 

268,970 

2,077,870 

314,065 

679,165 

1,087,809 

64,275 

598,485 

751,571 

3,098,724 

2,169,995 

687,856 

2,390,422 

67,042 

940,724 

1,020,541 

5,176,594 

5,859,080 

6,594,094 

12,453,174 

Appendix . 


33 


ESTIMATES  OF  TRAFFIC  ON  THE  CAUGHNAWAGA 
SHIP  CANAL, 

Submitted  to  the  Legislative  Assembly  of  Canada , by  John  B. 
Jarvis , Esq.,  Civil  Engineer,  in  his  Report  of  February  15  th, 
1855. 

First  Estimate. — Based  upon  the  probable  completion  of  the 
Canal  in  three  years,  simultaneously  with  the  completion  of  the 
enlarged  Erie  Canal,  but  without  any  enlargement  of  the  Cham- 
plain Canal : — 

250.000  tons  of  lumber  at  10  cents  per  ton,  . . $25,000  00 

870.000  tons  Lake  Champlain  trade  at  35  cts.  a ton,  129,500  00 

300.000  tons  Hudson  River  trade  at  35  cts.  per  ton,  105,000  00 

100.000  tons  improvement  of  general  trade,  . . 25,000  00 

1.020.000  tons, $284,500  00 

Second  Estimate  of  Mr.  Jarvis  in  his  Report  of  1855,  based  on 
enlargement  of  Champlain  Canal  to  the  present  size  of  Erie  Canal : 

500.000  tons  of  lumber  at  10  cents,  ....  $50,000  00 

370.000  tons  Lake  Champlain  trade  at  35  cts.  per  ton,  129,500  00 

1.080.000  tons  Hudson  River  trade  at  35  cts.  a ton,  . 378,000  00 

100.000  tons  improvement  of  general  trade,  at  25  cts. 

a ton,  .......  25,000  00 


2,050,000  tons,  ! $582,500  00 

In  1853  Mr.  Jarvis  reports  the  tonnage  of  the  Lakes  passing 
East,  through  the  Erie  Canal,  as  . . . . 1,213,690  tons. 

Do.  passing  West, 261,752  “ 


He  computes  that  this  tonnage  doubles  once  in  four  years. 

The  aggregate  tonnage  of  the  Erie  Canal  and  Erie  and  Central 
Railways  now  exceeds  twelve  millions  of  tons. 


34 


Ship  Canals. 


In  1869  the  tonnage  on  the  Champlain  Canal  was  . 1,059,334  tons. 
In  1858,  “ “ “ “ . 608,918  « 

Tonnage  of  all  the  products  of  the  forest  in  1869,  on 

all  the  New  York  Canals, 1,855,930  “ | 

Aggregate  tonnage  in  1869  of  New  York  Canals 
and  Erie  and  Central  Railroads,  . . . 12,453,174  “ 

Average  freight  in  1869  on  a bushel  of  wheat,  in- 


cluding tolls : 

From  Chicago  to  Buffalo, $0  06.8 

From  Buffalo  to  New  York, 16.3 


$0  23.1 

Freight  on  Hudson, 02 


From  Buffalo  to  Albany, $0  21.1 

Do.  on  same  from  Chicago  to  Oswego, . . . 11.3 


Average  freight  in  1869,  inclusive  of  tolls,  per  100  lbs.  by 
canal  : 

Albany  to  Buffalo, $0  13 

Do.,  do.,  from  1830  to  1833, 94 

Distance  — Buffalo  to  Burlington,  by  Lake  Ontario 
and  St.  Lawrence  — by  lake  and  river,  407 ; 
canal,  57,  464  miles. 

The  enlargement  of  the  Champlain  Canal  is  in  progress  but  not 
yet  completed. 


[From  Annual  Report  of  Auditor  of  New  York  Canal  Department  for  1869.] 


Appendix. 


35 


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36 


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